cryptid en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɹɪp.tɪd/
Etymology
From crypt + -id. Coined by John E. Wall in 1983 in the ISC Newsletter.
Meanings
-
A creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation.
Now comes perhaps the cleverest tag of all: cryptozoology. It refers to the search for new animals, animals dwelling in unexpected places, and most importantly for "X-Files" scriptwriters, "cryptids"—legendary creatures such as the yeti.
1999 August 16, Steve Burgess, “Loren Coleman, Loch Ness snowman of cryptozoology”, in salon.com:Well, that's a painting of the mysterious Brown Blur. It's a cryptid that allegedly roams these very woods.
2025 November 9, Zach Hadel, Michael Cusack, “Pim and Charlie Save Mother Nature” (01:06 from the start), in Smiling Friends, season 3, episode 5, spoken by Mr. Boss (Marc M.), via Cartoon Network:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| cryptids | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Descendants
criptídeo · críptid · críptido · Kryptid
Translations (10)
cmn 傳聞動物 /传闻动物 (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · ja UMA (yūma) (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · es críptido (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · ca críptid (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · pt criptídeo (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · ja 幻獣 (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · sv kryptid (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · ko 미확인동물 (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · uk крипти́д (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation) · de Kryptid (creature known only from folklore or legend, the existence of which is not proven by scientific observation)